Sunrise Iron

About Us

Erl McLaughlin has a love of agricultural bordering on obsession. He has been collecting antique tractors since 1983, restoring them to their original glory and storing them in a 40’ x 220’ metal shop…read more

About

Erl McLaughlin has a love of agricultural bordering on obsession. He has been collecting antique tractors since 1983, restoring them to their original glory and storing them in a 40’ x 220’ metal shop on his property. If people hear about his antique tractor and farm implement collection, and they want to see it, they call Erl on his cell phone. They will likely catch him farming his fields. When he receives a call, Erl jumps down from his tractor, the one he uses to farm today, and he brushes the dirt and the dust from his jeans, and he meets you at his showroom, if you can call it that, because really is just a big metal shop off a dirt road. But it contains an incredible collection of agricultural history.With over 35 antique tractors and as many farm implements dating from as far back as 1835 -- many pieces are extremely rare -- it is one man’s monumental tribute to the agricultural heritage of North America in the 1800’s and 1900’s. The collection includes four hard rubber tire trucks from 1918, a number of horse drawn wagons, original cast iron tractor seats, and authentic vintage signs.

Because Erl is driven by passion, you will find his showroom without some common things that you might expect from such a one-of-a-kind display. The showroom sits just off a dirt road. There is no formal parking lot. There is no lobby, no place to buy a ticket, no kitschy museum gift shop selling cheap Oregon Trail themed key chains and other souvenirs.